The Brothers
by QueenOfBeasts
Summary: The residents of Underland are celebrating. What calls for such joyous activities, you ask? The Champion of Underland and the Royal Hatter have brought new life to the world. The Brothers are born.  Oneshot


SO! This is the first of what I hope to be many oneshots, twoshots, threeshots, and multi-chaptered stories. Here I introduce my two OCs, Asher Hightopp II and Charles Hightopp, twin sons to Underland's Champion and Royal Hatter! I've spent a long time coming up with their characters (though they aren't really very apparent as infants), and have really learned to love them! I hope to put out more stuff on these two, so look forward to more Ash & Charlie coming from me!

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**The Brothers**

The sun showed brightly that morning. It bounced off the walls and danced through the gardens, not halting for a moment in its joyous games.

Marmoreal was a buzz with activity, the ladies gossiping happily with each other, the men grinning like little boys in a candy shop, and the animals and other creatures scampering and prancing about in excitement.

They were celebrating a miracle.

Deep within the palace, in a homey little apartment, seated upon a large bed, was a man with frizzy orange hair and striking emerald eyes. Next to him nestled in the blankets sat a young woman with tangled blonde hair and lovely pale blue eyes.

Tarrant Hightopp beamed proudly down at his wife, who though looking extremely exhausted, never looked more beautiful in his eyes as she did now.

Alice returned his loving gaze, but quickly let her eyes drop. Now she smiled down at the warm bundles in each of her arms – her infant sons.

She had given birth the night before, and now she was spending her first moments with her new family. Tarrant tapped her shoulder, glancing down at the child in her right arm. She obliged him, and maneuvered the boy into his father's arms.

At the exact same time, they both pulled back the blankets to look at their children's faces. The one Alice held was the second born of the two, and slightly smaller than his brother. His head was covered in bright orange fuzz, the same shade as his father's hair. He opened his eyes sleepily and looked up at her. His eyes were the same pale blue as her's. She lifted her eyes to Tarrant, and found he was doing the very thing she had been. The Hatter examined his elder son with pure joy. The boy had a full head of blonde hair, just like his mother. He had gotten her most wonderful trait, Tarrant thought. What struck him though was his eyes, which were a vibrant green like his own. Other than these differences, the two boys looked almost identical. They had the same facial structure, which shocked them both quite a bit. _How_ it was possible to have identical twins who were also _fraternal _was a great mystery to the new parents. But then again, this _was_ Underland.

Tarrant looked to his wife, and gave her a gap-toothed grin.

"Names?" He asked simply. They had both agreed that they would each choose one name for one of their boys individually. Looking at the new lives cradled in their arms, they both knew their sons' names.

Alice smiled down at the baby in her arms fondly.

"Charles, after my father." She said, a single tear sliding down her face at the memory of her loving, understanding father. Tarrant gently wiped it away, trying to comfort her. "I'm alright… really, I am!" She assured him. He knew that she wasn't totally fine, but he let her be. He knew what it was like to feel grief, and sometimes shedding a tear or two helped keep the pain away from an otherwise happy memory.

He looked back down at the child he held, and tenderly stroked his cheek. He closed his eyes, and smiled in remembrance.

"Asher, after my dear brother." He said softly. He remembered Asher as a good man, and the best older brother one ever could wish for. He had led the clan with a firm hand and a kind heart, and was greatly respected by all. His firstborn son, the one that lay peacefully in his arms, would one day lead the clan as well, and he had named him for the role he would take.

"What a wonderful name!" Alice gushed. Tarrant beamed in pride.

"He was a wonderful man, he was! And so will this little lad when he grows up!" He exclaimed, gesturing to the child. Alice grinned, trying to hold the giggle she knew would erupt from inside her at her husband's enthusiasm.

"I'm sure he was, and I'm doubly sure our little Asher will be, too!" At the sound of his name, Asher peered up at his mother with his big, bright green eyes. He gave her a grin that could easily rival Chessur's (excluding the many, _many_ sharp teeth, for the boy had none). The expression the child wore was almost identical to his father's, which made the giggle she was holding in let loose with a vengeance. Tarrant joined her in her laughter. Oh how he loved to hear her laugh! It was the most beautiful sound to ever reach his ears, he was sure of it! Alice quickly regained her composure, and looked at her Mad Hatter was a sparkle in her eye. He decided then and there that he had never loved her more, if that was even possible. But, his love for his wife did not blind him to the fact that his younger son had been named for her father, who, he now realized with surprise, Alice had never spoken of.

"Alice…" He began slowly. "You have never spoken of your father to me, you know, and seeing how our boy bears his name, I was wondering if it would be possible for you to tell me a bit about him." He suddenly became very alarmed, as if he had just witnessed the presence of some sort of specter (or Thackery in a sane state of mind, in the least). "But only if that's alright with you! I wouldn't want to hear a thing about him! That is to say, I _would_ if you would want to tell me of him, but not if you -"

"Hatter!" Alice giggled, cutting off his ramble. He inhaled sharply.

"I'm fine." He choked out. "Thank you."  
"Quite alright." She assured him, patting his arm with her free hand (for little Charles was in the other). "And there is no need to become self-conscious about the subject of my father." Her eyes became glassy with the tears she was withholding, but the smile never left her face. "It's good to talk about him… helps me to remember him all the better!"

"Yes, Love. It does indeed help. I for one know that quite well." Now it was his turn to comfort _her_. He shifted in his seat, and scooted closer to her. He pressed his side up against her's, and wrapped his free arm around her. He gently kissed her forehead before encouraging her to continue. She sighed heavily, but couldn't for the life of her refuse her Love.

"My father was good man – no- a great man. He was kind and loving and imaginative. Some say he was quite mad!" Her features began to brighten at the happy memories of Charles Kingsleigh. "He was the one that taught me to believe my six impossible things before breakfast, too! He thought nothing was impossible, and he routinely proved himself correct. He helped build one of the most respected trading companies in the world from absolutely nothing at all!"

"He sounds like a great man indeed!" Tarrant enthused. "Quite mad as well!" Alice sighed once again, this time in content.

"He was the one who told me all the best people are." She sighed and gazed down at little Charles once again. The Hatter reached for his wife's hand, and stroked the top of it with his ruff and callused thumb.

"And how right he was."

He placed Asher at his side, the child looking up him and Alice with the wide, green eyes the reflected his own. Alice did the same with Charles, so that the two boys lay next to each other. Asher looked over at his young brother, and gurgled in joy. He reached for him, and Charles did the same. They touched fingers, and both became perfectly still. They had turned their heads, and now just stared at each other in wonder, pale blue meeting emerald green.

Their parents gazed down at them, both grinning wider than they ever had. Alice stroked Charles' cheek, while Tarrant ran his fingers through Asher's blonde hair.

"Welcome to Underland," Alice cooed. Tarrant picked up where she left off.

"Asher and Charles Hightopp."

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**Sooo...? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it super bad? Was it AMAZINGLY INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC? I want to know! **


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